Total pages in book: 401
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
I couldn’t answer that.
Feeling my stare, he jerked his chin to the wall to his left. “I didn’t expect that.”
“The paintings?”
Emil nodded. “The books. The lack of blood on standby.” His gaze fell to the low table by the couch. “The game of chess left to be finished. The birds. It’s all so…”
“Normal?” I finished for him.
“Yeah. I didn’t expect that.” He laughed, the sound low and rough. “I don’t know what I expected. Maybe to discover that all the grandeur of their homes was nothing more than a façade. That when we went into their belowground chambers, we’d see that they lived like the monsters they are.”
I looked around the large, oval-shaped common area, its walls lined with books and smaller paintings. “The thing is, Emil, they don’t believe they’re monsters. Some have convinced themselves, despite knowing the truth, that they are blessed by the gods.”
Emil nodded once more. “Do you…?” He took a deep breath, then met my gaze. “Do you think it’s possible that some of them aren’t monsters?”
I pulled back slightly, my brows lifting.
“I mean, it’s not like they—the second sons and daughters—had a choice,” he quickly added. “They weren’t raised knowing it was all a lie.” Emil turned back to the mural, running a finger over the Temple’s golden spires. “They must have known what would happen if they refused the Ascension: submit to the Blood Crown or die.”
“Wouldn’t death be a better choice when the other option is to become a part of the vicious cycle that has done nothing but take lives?” I asked. No sooner had the words left my mouth than I thought of Poppy’s brother, Ian. My jaw tightened.
“Yeah. You’re right.” Emil cleared his throat and turned from the mural. “Anyway, regarding what happened here… It’s almost as if a spirit entered these homes, sight unseen.”
My thoughts were still turning over what he’d said about the Ascended, but they ground to a halt as his statement registered.
Almost as if a spirit…
Sucking in a sharp breath, I stiffened.
“What?” Emil asked.
“I need to return to Wayfair.” And find the one person who could tell me if what I was thinking utterly missed the mark or was possible.
I needed to find Reaver.
Fuck my life.
Emil followed me into the night. I’d never thought it would be a relief to smell the air of Carsodonia, but it was then. That sweet yet stale stench lingered.
I walked off the veranda and lifted my hood when I spotted Naill and Hisa. “Have all the Ascended homes been checked?”
“Almost.” Hisa kept pace with Emil and me as we crossed the carriageway. “It will likely take us until the morning.”
Nearing the bench where Setti waited, I walked around the large urn. “I need to know if any more Ascended are found dead, or if anyone comes forward with infor—” About to step off the curb, I stopped suddenly. “—mation.”
“Cas?” Emil said.
I wheeled around and returned to the urn. It wasn’t empty. And I had a feeling the one I’d noticed outside the first home I’d entered wasn’t either.
Kneeling, I took a closer look. In the darkness of the night, the trumpet-shaped blooms and oval leaves were such a deep shade of gray they nearly blended into the nothingness around them. Clearly, this wasn’t their natural state, and I had a feeling I knew what had done this.
I glanced back at the home, remembering how the grass had crunched when we walked. That’d happened outside of each house. I hadn’t paid much attention to it then, but I had a feeling we’d see many lawns of dead grass come morning.
Aware of Emil and Hisa watching me, I reached out and brushed my fingers over a curled leaf. The whole damn thing shattered into a fine, chalky gray dust, releasing a scent I was becoming all too familiar with.
Sweet but stale.
The smell of Death.
I straightened, looking back at the darkened home as I thought about the bite marks on the Ascended’s throats.
Spinning around, I stalked into the street. I found what I was looking for when I spotted the sweeping spires that appeared to have captured the stars from above.
“Uh, Cas?” Emil called.
I turned to Hisa. She and the rest had followed me into the street. “Have all the remaining Blood Crown generals and ranking officers been located?”
“We never had an exact roster. Only what General Da’Neer located at Ironspire,” she answered, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. “All who were located have been dealt with. At last check, three remained unaccounted for.”
That was better than I’d expected. “Assign General Aylard to oversee the remaining search,” I instructed. My jaw tightened. I was reluctant to say what was about to come out of my mouth, but if my suspicions were correct, we needed more support. “I want my father, Lord Sven, and General Damron,” I ordered, naming Perry’s father and the female wolven general close to Hisa, “to enter with a contingent of guards. But stress the importance of keeping the numbers low so as not to stir more unease among the mortals.”